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Image Credit: Twitter/Ashok Swain
Does This Video Show PM Modi Effigy During The Recent Clashes In Punjab? Know The Truth Here!
Punjab, 8 March 2023 10:36 AM GMT
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The video was initially shot in December 2020 during the farmers' protests. Farmers in Lohian Khas area carried out effigies during a Bharat Bandh which is unrelated to recent clashes between supporters of Amritpal Singh and the Punjab police.
On February 24, Waris Punjab De head Amritpal Singh and his supporters, holding up swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala following the arrest of Amritpal Singh's aide and kidnapping case accused Lovepreet Singh Toofan.
In this case, a video showing an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going viral with the claim that this was a part of the recent protests. Several users are expressing their concern over the group’s demand for Khalistan.
Claim:
The video shows a bulldozer with PM Modi’s effigy attached to it. The bulldozer slowly walks through the street as several people gather around it. The effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is wrapped in the National flag.
Ashok Swain, professor of peace and conflict studies at Uppsala University, shared the video saying, “Modi’s effigy wrapped with national flag is being paraded in Punjab. They sent a contingent of paramilitary forces to Delhi airport to arrest Pawan Khera, but the regime and media are silent about it.”
The viral video has been shared with similar claims by several users such as Gyan Ganga and World Hindu Council.
Fact Check:
We first checked the viral video and found that the effigy of PM Modi had been wrapped in a saffron cloth and not the national flag.
We also checked the poster attached to the effigy, which contained certain text written in Punjabi. The text said ‘ਇਹ ਖੰਘਿਆ ਤਾਂ ਟੰਗਿਆ’, which translates to “he coughed, so hanged”.
We then used keywords such as “PM Modi,” “effigy,” “hanged,” “upside down,” & “Lohian” in Punjabi on Facebook and came across a video posted by @dailyajit, dated December 8, 2020. The post states, “Farmers in Lohian “hanged” Modi.” This indicates that the effigy was from the protests against the repealed farm laws.
We also came across a Facebook post uploaded by Punjabi National TV published on December 8, 2020. The post reads, “On the day of Bharat Bandh, farmers in Lohian hung Modi's effigy and wrote on it 'It was coughed.' | Punjabi National TV.” This indicates that the video was filmed in Lohian Khas village in Punjab on December 8, 2020.
Another Facebook page confirmed the same details, “Today's Bharat Bandh was also successful in Lohian Khas area, thanks to every local resident who contributed to this struggle today.”
Conclusion:
The viral video of PM Modi's effigy being carried out in the middle of a street is being shared with a misleading context. The video was initially shot in December 2020 during the farmers' protests. Farmers in Lohian Khas area carried out effigies during a Bharat Bandh which is unrelated to recent clashes between supporters of Amritpal Singh and the Punjab police. Hence, the viral claim is misleading.
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.
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